Vann's to close stores in Missoula, Hamilton

A big announcement from a Montana retailer. Vann's once a heavy hitter online and in Montana is closing two stores and possibly a third.

Monday the company announced 15 employees working between Missoula and Hamilton will have to relocate or find other work.

Vann's announced it is moving corporate offices to Bozeman and closing shop in Missoula and Hamilton.

The Kalispell store is on the chopping block too. But the company's CEO Greg Regelbrugge thinks he'll find a temporary location near Lowe's and Home Depot.

He'd prefer the same type of location in Missoula but hasn't been able to find one.

“So, right now Hamilton, which is fed by this store as far as how we deliver our product and how we store our product,” said Regelbrugge. “This store in Missoula and the last one is Kalispell; all three of those are owned by Pete Vann and were being leased to us.”

Regelbrugge said he’d been negotiating a lease with former owner Vann since January. He said the last offer Vann sent was to either buy the buildings or be out by June. Regelbrugge said the locations weren’t worth the price and he would like to find locations that are better suited for retail.

Vann’s has been battling with bankruptcy and layoffs since last year.

NBC Montana told you when the company filed for bankruptcy last August. A few months later Mc Magic Partners LLC, a company from Texas bought the stores in Missoula, Hamilton, Kalispell, Billings and Bozeman.

Copyright 2013 by KECI, KCFW, KTVM. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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